Tech

The 5 coolest electric cars in the world

Electric cars are becoming quite cool, thanks to the likes of Tesla. Turns out, however, Elon Musk and his cohort don't have a monopoly on cool EVs. Sure, he might have the only one with Falcon Wing doors, but there are plenty of wild eco-friendly machines out there.

In no particular order, here are the five coolest electric cars in the world.

Renovo Motors Coupe

The Coupe produces 500 horsepower and 1000 pound-feet of torque.

Image: Renovo Motors

Renovo brands itself as the first American all-electric supercar — not just geographically but also stylistically. I mean, look at the brand's first and (so far) only model, the Coupe. Not only does it look decidedly American, its chassis was provided by the Shelby American brand and inspired by the American sports car that won the 1964 Le Mans.

What the Coupe lacks in a flashy nameplate it more than makes up for with a potent powertrain. To that end, the Coupe produces 500 horsepower and 1,000 pound-feet of torque. That means it can do 0 to 60 mph in under 3.4 seconds, making it the fastest rear-wheel-drive production EV. Thankfully, that's not the only quick bit about the Coupe. It can also receive a quick charge in 30 minutes and a full charge in just five hours.

Morgan EV3

Morgan is estimating the EV3 will be good for a 150-mile driving range.

The British-made Morgan EV3 is easily the wackiest EV of them all. It's based upon the Morgan 3 Wheeler that was introduced in 2011. Instead of a two-cylinder gasoline motorcycle engine up front, the EV3 is powered by a 45-kilo-Watt (kW) electric motor that drives the rear wheel. Morgan is estimating the EV3 will be good for a 150-mile driving range.

However, that all depends on how you drive it. If you're hoping to test drive one of these eco-friendly trikes before you buy, think again. Morgan will sell you one, yes, but they're built to order. That means you'll have to plunk down your dollars (or, more realistically, British Pounds sterling) first. Oh and I hope you like the sun, rain and wind... because there is no top to this twee EV.

Audi R8 e-tron

Image: Audi

Finally, an EV from a brand you've actually heard of! While you've heard of Audi, you might not have known that it made an all-electric version of its R8 supercar... but it does. Though it shares the same skin and interior as the latest V10-powered R8, this one is all electrons underneath.

Specifically, it's electric motors produce 340 kW (7.5x more than the Morgan, mind you) that will rocket this Teutonic EV to 62.1 mph from a standstill in 3.9 seconds. Impressively, it's more than an acceleration machine — it also boasts a 279.6-mile range as well. It's also because the R8 e-tron has lent its electric powertrain tech to the forthcoming Volkswagen Microbus EV, slated for debut at 2016 CES.

Tesla Model X

C'mon. We couldn't have a list of cool EVs without a Tesla, right? And this just might be the coolest one yet. It's the Model X and, as I mentioned in the intro, it has Falcon Wing doors. It has much more to brag about, though. The $142,000 P90D Founder model can do 0 to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds while also returning a 250-mile range.

In the interior, buyers will be delighted by the panoramic windshield, large tablet-like touchscreen in the center console and doors that open as the owner walks up. Tesla also brags that the Model X is the safest SUV ever, with a body so strong that it broke some of the testing equipment. If that weren't enough, Tesla also included an incredibly robust HVAC system complete with a Bioweapons Defense Mode button.

Honda CR-Z prototype

The Honda CR-Z prototype on Pikes Peak Hillclimb.

Image: Honda

Lastly, we come to the only car on this list that you can't quite buy. Yes, you can buy a Honda CR-Z hybrid. This one, however, has no gasoline engine onboard. Instead, each wheel is powered by its very own electric motor. With four motors capable of putting out 100% of their torque at zero rpm, this CR-Z prototype is very fast indeed ... and also perhaps demonstrates a future all-electric iteration of Honda's Super-Handling All-Wheel Drive (SH-AWD).

The CR-Z's quickness is evidenced by its run up the mountain at the Pikes Peak hillclimb earlier this year. Complete with a big wing on the backend, it was able to summit the mount in 10:23.829 minutes. That time allowed it to take first in its Exhibition class, coming just a minute shy of the overall winning time at the event.

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